Seeking Comfort
by neonate
Summary: [Completed] This summer in Konoha...Neji jokes, Sakura flirts, Shino gossips, and Chouji eats. Manga timeline, peeps.
1. Neji Jokes

**Seeking Comfort**

Joint project of BullyKilla and neonate  
Rating: PG-13  
Characters: Neji, Sakura, Shino, and Chouji.  
Summary: This summer in Konoha…Neji jokes, Sakura flirts, Shino gossips, and Chouji eats.

**Disclaimer:** Last year we tried haggling for the copyright of Naruto with Kishimoto-sensei. He wanted a lifetime supply of pork ramen. We went home defeated. This year, we'll try again…

* * *

The weather was imitating hell that day in Konoha. Every inhabitants of the shinobi village could be seen wearing less than their usual attire. Even the conservative elders of the village were baring their wrinkled limbs to combat the hellish temperature. To put it short, it was a day when the birds cry from having too much feather. 

Everybody was flustered and getting increasingly indecent, except for one person.

Hyuuga Neji stood unmoving, fully-clothed in his high-rise-collar shirt and full-right-limb bandages. The temptation to take off the forehead protector from his sweating brows was great, although what is a shinobi if not skilled in the art of resisting temptations? And he was a very good shinobi. Really.

But…a thought occurred to him. His bandages, wet with sweat, were starting to bother him a bit too much for his convenience. Neji didn't know how to describe the feeling on his skin without sounding childish. They, ah…they itched, _dammit._

He surveyed his surrounding. As far as he could see was the Forest of Death at the end of the village. Hyuuga Neji liked high places. It had been a habit for him to seek places of great height such as the radio tower. As a child he used to imagine that he could fly if he was able to climb high enough. Besides, the breeze up there was so much better. And as people say, old habits die hard.

However, only dead air greeted him when he climbed up the rooftop of the Hokage's office.

His face fell, disappointed, but he refused to leave the spot. He liked watching the clouds from there too. Anybody who thought that watching clouds was exclusively Nara Shikamaru's hobby was greatly mistaken, albeit the genius chuunin took the activity to another level. Neji appreciated the calmness of the sky and at times when everything else failed him, the blue sky provided a much sought comfort. The view of flying birds, soaring as if the sky belonged to them, pleased him beyond anything else.

_Speaking of birds, where are they? _

Neji didn't know that most birds had taken refuge in the cool forest. They just felt too heavy to fly that day.(1)

From where he was seated the streets of Konoha were clearly visible to him. He saw Akimichi Chouji walking while carrying and slurping a gallon of cookie dough ice cream (Neji didn't think Chouji was into sweets, but oh well…). What struck Neji was the absence of bandages from Chouji's person. That got Neji thinking. What if he too relieved himself from the itching bandages? After seconds of careful consideration, he shook his head. Nah, that would be undignified. Totally _so_ not Hyuuga.

So Neji suffered another bout of itch attack silently.

Suddenly a movement from below caught his attention. A glimpse of blinding pink jarred him back. He knew only one person in the village who possessed that kind of unmistakable color. Funny, his only vivid recollection of her was when she had been crying under the wooden gates of Konoha for the Uchiha boy. That girl was shamelessly tearful in front of six boys and a dog. Back then he didn't think much of her. A kunoichi is a ninja, and a ninja does _not_ show his or her emotions. Yet, she practically had been shedding rivers.

He'd heard the rumors that the Hokage herself had been training the girl to become a medic nin. Usually Neji wouldn't care much about other people's business, but for a genin to attract Tsunade's attention was quite remarkable in itself. He supposed that the Haruno girl had some redeeming qualities, after all.

As if sensing his absentminded thoughts about her, the kunoichi in question turned her face upward to meet his gaze. She blinked once before adjusting her sight. "Hyuuga-san?"

"Hn," came the half-hearted reply. He wasn't sure that he liked being caught staring, although it had come to his attention that most people found him a world-class staring act.

"What are you doing up there?" she asked, one hand shielding her face from the sun.

_Nosy._

"Training." Neji's standard reply number one.

"Doing what?"

Was that amusement that he heard in her voice?

"Nothing."

Now she eyed him with pity.

"Cooling down is also a part of training, you know," he said off-handedly_. No, I'm not crazy yet._

"I see," she replied with a sweet smile. That took Neji aback. Girls, well, girls don't smile at him, you see. They are supposed to be deathly afraid of him, with Ten Ten as an exception though the weapon-mistress was hardly categorized as a _girl_ kind of girl in Neji's dictionary.

"Haruno, I heard that you've been training with Hokage-sama?" he started. Neji didn't know what prompted that question; it just rolled out of his tongue.

"Yeah, I was also kinda surprised when she agreed to train me," Sakura answered sheepishly.

"Hn. As long as you don't screw up, that'll be good enough I suppose."

Sakura frowned, tilted her head, and paused before answering, "Hold on. I'll go up there. It hurts my neck to talk with you this way."

"Wha—"

Too late, the kunoichi had jumped onto the awning and used it as a stepping stone to leap higher. She landed effortlessly in front of Neji, and crossed her arms menacingly. "You were saying?" One fine eyebrow lifted, and Neji recognized the signs.

_Uh…_

"Yes, Hyuuga-san? Is the hot weather affecting your manners? What you said was rude, even if you don't believe in my ability. Do you think I am bound to be a screw up?"

_Touchy._

"Don't take that personally," Neji huffed.

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one taking the insults," she retorted.

"Yes, but I still have to think them."

Now it was her turn to be taken aback. Her lips quivered a bit before breaking into a wide, goofy smile. "You're making jokes," she said with disbelief, "unsuccessfully, but still…"

"I'm training my mental capacity, Haruno," he snapped.

"It must be hard, Hyuuga."

"Very. Don't you see I'm being serious here?" he smirked, and was awarded by light giggles that escaped the pink-haired kunoichi. He had thought that she would not laugh or smile again after the mission to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke had ended up a failure. Somehow at the back of his mind there was an image of her crying forlornly under the huge gates, looking absolutely breakable.

"I think the hot weather is getting to you," Sakura said amidst her giggles.

"Tch, this? This is nothing. You should see Gai-sensei's private sauna. Now _that's_ hot." Neji didn't know what possessed him to say such ludicrous things like that, but her immediate peal of laughter was enough.

"Hyuuga. I think you even got a heatstroke!" Sakura had never expected to find Neji, of all people she knew, attempting bad jokes with his straight poker face.

"Well, medic, isn't it your job to know these things?" he scowled mockingly.

"Yessir, a really bad case of heatstroke, I'd say."

"And the cure?"

"Ice cream!" she said happily.

"What a genius! I want strawberry. Go buy me one," he said while handing her a crumpled bill.

"What a miser, this is not enough."

"Hey, I'm not buying yours," he replied.

"Cheap."

"I heard that."

"You're supposed to. Banana you said?" she teased.

"Yes, pink bananas with green dots." Neji was now grinning like an idiot. He was not supposed to grin. Members of the Hyuuga clan don't grin. _Perhaps the weather _is_ a tad too hot…_

"Ugh, fashion victim."

"What do you know, kunoichi?"

"At least those colors look good on me," she replied, indignant, hands on her hips.

"And I look smashing in red trousers."

"Oh, for the love of Hokage, Hyuuga! Spare me the horror," she rolled her twinkling green eyes.

"Well, I suppose purple is_ really_ my color…"

But Sakura was already leaning against the railing, holding her stomach, laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. That made Neji's grin grow even wider.

They continued bickering for a while, each having their own arsenal of insults and gags. Above, the sun in its full regalia glared intensely and the impossible temperature grew hotter.

Hyuuga Neji flushed and leaned against the railing to support himself. He felt a throbbing headache and his mind was swirling. From a corner of his eyes, Neji saw a black beetle perching calmly on the hot steel of the railing. He tried to blow it away but it remained adamant at its spot. _Funny beetle…never seen it around before._

"Haruno, I think I am getting a heatstroke," he said gruffly, still leaning and scratching his bandaged right arm. Now Neji felt like throwing up. He wondered if he did vomit, how long would it take to reach the grounds from this height? _Well,_ his mind answered, _it depends on the initial velocity of said spew… simple physics._

"That's good, Hyuuga, because I think you're a much nicer person when you get a heatstroke," Sakura declared with a wink.

"No, really. Haruno, I think I'm _sick_."

Right after that statement, Hyuuga Neji—Konoha's number one rookie, prodigy of the Hyuuga clan, and an overall cool guy—dropped down like lead to the floor. The last thing he heard was Sakura's panic cry and the buzzing of wings.

_Wings?_

_Oh, the beetle…_

_... funny._

And the world went black.

* * *

To be continued

* * *

Message from BullyKilla and neonate:

(1). We lied. We blatantly lied about the birds being too heavy to fly. They're aerodynamically made. They'll fly, unless it's 350 degree Fahrenheit inside your oven.

(2). Why summer? Because the Fire Country's located in the equator. Its climate is tropical, and unless you're thousands of feet above the sea level, you'll never see snow. Are we sure about this? Nope.

(3). We love to hear what you think! This is our first joint project and we even have a beta. Thanks Ranier!


	2. Sakura Flirts

**Seeking Comfort **

Rating: PG-13  
Characters: Neji, Sakura, Shino, Chouji  
Summary: This summer in Konoha … Neji jokes, Sakura flirts, Shino gossips, Chouji eats.

**Disclaimer**: We've corresponded with Kishimoto-sensei and we've prepared many different flavors of ramen this year. He did hint of something tasty with many legs…

* * *

Aburame Shino was smooth, aloof, and detached, the epitome of objective. That's why he was perfect for the job. Konoha Shinbun had requested his skills for this week's 'Featured Youths' column and he had accepted readily. Journalism was not something to be trivialized, Shino knew that much. It required an intricate network of information and strenuous investigations of the facts, both at which he excelled. Add that to his admirable work ethics, Shino was ready to take Konoha by storm. Or by words, that is. 

Writing was a secret passion for Shino. He was not a boy of many words, but when he clutched a brush and dipped it into black ink, an empowering feeling to _write_ would overwhelm him and…

Ah, hell.

Who are we kidding really? Shino needed the money. He broke his father's butterfly collection the week before and got no allowance for the rest of the month. But it wasn't Shino's fault, oh no. His father just _had_ to put a trap behind the glass case. Who'd ever heard a butterfly collection with FIVE explosive seals?

Shino was lucky to survive intact, without losing even a pinkie, but his favorite bumblebee, Wendell, had suffered some form of mental breakdown due to the explosion. He refused to fly afterwards. Needless to say, Shino was aggrieved though he didn't look any different.

The money he'd make would go directly to the Save Wendell Fund his mother had generously established. Thus, Shino vowed to work hard.

And one blazing-hot noon in Konoha, he spotted his first victims…

* * *

Neji felt something soft and cool pressed against his cheeks. It felt really nice, a welcome change from the scorching heat that crowded his senses. He squirmed a bit, gaining consciousness. 

"Aa…," he tried to speak, but found his throat parched. Neji moved his body slightly, just to find that it was taking too much energy, and slumped right back to whatever he was lying on. Something squashy was pressed against his back and for the first time since the world around him went black, he was aware of his surroundings. He noticed the shadows. Lots of shadows. And the fresh scent of grass.

_I'm under a tree? Since when?_

"Hyuuga-san, you're awake!" cried a distant, feminine voice. A hand immediately flew to his brows, feeling the temperature while the other checked his pulse. The fingers against his skin felt nice and cool. Neji sensed no danger from this person, so he relaxed.

"What—"

"You fainted, Hyuuga," the voice supplied cheerfully. Neji almost swore that it was teasing him.

"Not possible…a Hyuuga doesn't faint," he corrected. Now the hand had moved to his neck and two fingers were pressed against the skin on his lower jaw. Neji realized that his collar had been folded down, exposing his pale skin to the air.

"Your temperature is almost back to normal," the girl said, "and yes, a Hyuuga _can_ faint if he's too stubborn like now."

Neji frowned, he didn't like being reprimanded by anyone. The focus on his eyes had returned, the broken colors were finally taking shapes, and for the second time that day, the pink caught him off guard.

"Haruno?" he gasped.

"Who else? You scared me back there, I thought there was an enemy attack and they got you," Sakura chatted while her nimble fingers work on his shirt.

"What are you doing?" asked Neji when he noticed that his shirt had been opened halfway.

"Undressing you," she replied calmly.

"Why?" the tone betrayed none of his confusion.

"Because I'm dying to see what's beneath this layer of fabric," she continued with the last two straps that hold the shirt, smiling.

Before Neji knew, his tongue had run free with words, "You should just ask. There's no need for this trouble, you know."

"Ah, you're offering?" she lifted one inquiring eyebrow at his face while removing his shirt. A slight blush had formed on her cheeks when she saw his bandaged torso. _Sleek, _she thought, _and strong._

"I'm advertising," he retorted.

"Apparently the heatstroke has gotten hold of your brain, Hyuuga. You're still making jokes, heaven forbid."

After she said that, a trickle of cold water fell on Neji's head. He almost yelped, before his trained body forced him down. He glared at the kunoichi who was now holding a half-empty water bottle.

"In the case of heatstroke, cool water will be the best option to bring the body temperature down," she stated innocently.

"Ever think of just giving the water for me to drink?"

"Now that you mention it," she paused, "I'll buy you some juice. You can pay me back later."

"I gave you my money, woman."

"Darn, I thought you won't remember."

"Trust a kunoichi to steal a man's purse," Neji muttered.

He rolled sideways on the grass and his sight fell on a forehead protector lying nearby. He took it into his hands and glanced back at the girl. She still had hers on. So…

"Haruno, did you remove my forehead protector?"

* * *

Shino couldn't believe what Edna, his number one black beetle scout, had told him. A Hyuuga spotted in the presence of a pink-haired girl, relaxing, laughing and _fainting_! If Shino's news sense was anything to rely on, this could be the next big thing Konoha had ever seen since…since… well, since everyone in the village found out that the missing-nin Orochimaru preferred men for his bedmates (and that wasn't even that big of a surprise, was it? Come on, people…it's Orochimaru-_sama_ we're talking about here). Shino wasn't even born when it happened, but he remembered his father speaking with the other shinobi about it. 

Those grown men had shuddered. (1)

He whispered some commands to Edna, before the black beetle flew again towards the direction of the news source. Shino then dashed madly home, he had no time to lose. Reaching his house, he sped upstairs, grabbed the camera his mother had given him for his birthday last year, and raced outside again. This time he used the rooftops to progress.

Edna, being the reliable beetle she was, had informed Shino that the couple could be found under the shade of a big tree across the Hokage's building.

If anyone could see the predatory smile slowly forming on Shino's face hidden inside his collar, they would run away screaming.

An Aburame was hunting.

* * *

The kunoichi with the peculiar pink hair looked at her sullen patient, confusion apparent in her green eyes. She did remove his forehead protector, yes, because she needed to put a chilled towel on his brow. Now Sakura couldn't understand why Neji was giving her the evil glare and worse, the silent treatment. He'd refused to make any jokes and was now wearing an all too familiar frown. 

_Maybe that's a sign that he's getting better,_ she thought.

"Ne, Hyuuga-san, how are you feeling right now?"

Neji didn't answer. He kept sending murderous vibes towards the younger kunoichi, who refused to be afraid of him.

"If you're being unfriendly like this, does that mean you're recovering?" she persisted. Her hand reached out to feel his temperature again, only to be slapped aside harshly.

"Don't touch me," he growled.

Sakura blinked. The slap had hurt a bit, but what stung more were his words. If all of sick people were this weird, Sakura wasn't sure anymore that she wanted to be in medicine. Where had his jokes gone to? Why the sudden animosity? They were fine before, weren't they? She had thought he had a nice smirk, and couldn't wait to see it bloom into a real smile. Apparently that would not happen.

_Damn him and his stupid jokes._

"I see, Hyuuga. I guess my excellent skill has cured you from the heatstroke. Be thankful, eh? Now you can go back being your conceited self," she huffed, standing up.

"What conceited self? I'm charming as I am," he said loudly. Sakura stopped, and turned around to face him abruptly. As if realizing what he'd just done, Neji pursed his lips together and muttered, "I didn't just say that…"

"You…," her eyes had turned into slits. She crouched down and scooted next to his lying form.

"Go away, Haruno," he turned his face from her.

"I don't understand you, Hyuuga. First you were making silly jokes and now you're telling me take a hike?" she asked. When she got no response, she started poking his bare arm.

"Stop it," he ordered.

"Not a very good husband material, are you? Leave'em when you're done," she said with a sneer while jabbing her finger to his flesh.

"Haruno, you'll make a lousy wife."

"Really?" she nudged harder.

He snorted, "Yes, and you're poking me to death here, woman." He hated to admit that he still wasn't able to move and his head was still throbbing. Besides, lying on the grass was quite nice.

"What, the great Hyuuga is afraid of death by _poking_?"

"I'm defenseless!"

Then it was her turn to snort. "Tell me one good reason why I should not start jabbing you with a kunai," she said.

"You're the medic here, and you will be killing your patient," he replied quickly.

"Not good enough," she answered, her hand had already opened her weapon pouch.

"You took off my forehead protector, that's why!"

She blinked, again. "And what's that got to do with anything?"

"Haruno, are you blind or just ignorant?" he scowled.

"That's it, you're getting a kunai for that comment." She leaned closer with a sharp blade on her hand. Neji's eyes widened, even without the Byakugan he could see that the kunoichi was somewhat serious.

"You didn't see the cursed seal on my forehead?" he suddenly said.

"What?" the kunai stopped mid-air.

He pointed to his forehead, "This, Haruno. Don't tell me you don't see _this_."

She was silent for a while and then broke into a knowing smile, "That's it? You don't want me to see it?"

"Oh no, you can play bingo with it, I won't mind," he replied, his voice dripping with unfettered sarcasm.

"Goody," she leaned closer, "I've always wanted to beat a forehead in a game of bingo."

"Ha! Mine will kick your forehead anytime, Haruno," he smirked.

"Now who's blind here? I've got a big forehead, didn't you notice?" she tapped the side of her head softly.

Without warning, his thumb brushed against the clear skin of her temple. She blushed.

"Oh, I noticed," he said.

* * *

From where he was hiding, Aburame Shino almost whooped silently with joy. His camera then began clicking continuously for several minutes. He could almost sense the smell of new money that he'd be making with these pictures. _Wendell is saved!_ Who would've thought that the stiff Hyuuga prodigy would be caught making out with none other than Haruno Sakura, love interest of his own teammate, Rock Lee? 

A love triangle had never been so profitable like now. Sod the measly 'Featured Youths' column, what he had here was the stuff that made the front page!

The Aburame grinned. (2)

He could already see tomorrow paper's headline.

* * *

To be continued

* * *

Hear, hear!

(1). The grown men shuddered because they remembered the times when Orochimaru-sama himself had hit on their younger selves. Are we cruel or what?

(2). When Shino makes a facial expression, we assume that it's hidden behind his high-collar. One more thing, an Aburame grin is different from, say, a Hyuuga grin. If you're an Aburame, you don't let your grin gets too big. The enemy's flies could get in easily. And if you're a Hyuuga, well… Hyuuga doesn't grin. Period.

(You liar! You made Neji grin like an idiot in the first chapter, what do you say about that?!)

Hush. Pity the confused boy, will you?

(3). The three of us thank the readers and reviewers for their kind words. We're glad that our joint project is starting well.

(4). neonate and Ranier had ganged up against BullyKilla in this chapter. They want more romance, he wants more humor. Where, oh, where should we go from here?

(5). Ranier says: "Yes, it's my real name." Don't listen to him.


	3. Shino Gossips

**Seeking Comfort**

Joint Project of BullyKilla and neonate  
Rating: PG-13  
Characters: Neji, Sakura, Shino, Chouji  
Summary: This summer in Konoha… Neji jokes, Sakura flirts, Shino gossips, and Chouji eats.

**Disclaimer:** When he said 'tasty with many legs' we immediately thought of exotic foods and such. The package we sent him is considered delicacy in some places of the world, you know. Boil'em, mash'em, stick'em in a stew…

* * *

Come morning the next day, clear, blue sky held little hope for a bit of shade for the hours to come. In no time, the temperature would rise again and the inhabitants of Konoha would repeat their clothe-shedding routine. But our main concern lies somewhere else. 

Konoha Shinbun began their morning distribution of the newspapers at four thirty a.m when everyone else (gung-ho shinobi and wandering perverts excluded) was still asleep. The freshly printed papers were first delivered to the local shops and stands before finally reaching the private residences all around the village.

Of course, Konoha Shinbun was not the only paper in the village. It was just the most popular, and it was about to become more popular than ever because of the large colored picture dominating its front page. The editor of the Shinbun had not thought twice when he ordered the picture enlarged, placed in the middle of the page, and printed. His instinct told him that it was going to be big.

Therefore, little did the fine folks of Konoha know that their day was about to turn _very_ interesting because of that single picture. Somewhere, an Aburame was smiling in his sleep.

A fine morning, indeed.

* * *

Daybreak in the Hyuuga residence was filled with sacrosanct-like routines, similar to rituals. First, members of the Branch House would diligently rise earlier than those of the Main House as they had security responsibilities to perform. Then one by one the Main House would stir awake. Fires would be made, water would be boiled, and floors would be mopped. It was always quiet; orders and instructions were given in hushed tones and carried out in similar manners, giving off an atmosphere truly fitting the strongest and most noble clan of Konoha. 

The Hyuuga children were exempted from the morning chores and were told to train instead. Until they had become Chuunin, they would continue the strict training regime passed down from generations to generations. Failure to do so would result in punishments and harsh words. Thus, while the elders silently ate their breakfast, those little kids sparred and exercised.

Everything was peaceful.

Though not for long.

Hyuuga Neji was in the middle of high-kick routine when a shriek pierced the tranquil Hyuuga household.

The morning paper had arrived.

* * *

Haruno Sakura stretched lazily and inhaled the fresh morning air. She had opened the window in her bedroom to take a better look at the cloudless heavens. Normally she wouldn't spend some time gazing out to the horizon, but today something beckoned her to divert her attention there. Sakura smiled. 

Giddy with herself, she skipped merrily to the bathroom for a quick wash. There was no mission and training for her today, but she could not wait to be out of the house. _Something good may happen,_ Sakura told herself.

_Something or someone?_ A little voice asked.

Sakura blushed involuntarily. She had not thought that a person other than Uchiha Sasuke could invoke such reaction from her, but there she was, under the shower, with a complexion that would send a tomato green with envy, thinking of exactly that one person.

After quickly drying up and wrapping new training bandages around her torso, she rummaged the closet for a dress. Red, red, pink, black, red, yellow, pink… aha! Triumphantly she picked a pastel green summer dress, the only one she had. The color was so light it would not clash with her hair.

A call from her mother brought her downstairs just in time for breakfast. Her father was sitting with a cup of tea in his left hand and the paper clutched on his right. Upon seeing his daughter, he coughed nervously, signaling his wife to join them at the table. Then he made quite a scene of folding the newspaper noisily. When all of them were seated, Sakura noticed the somber and worried expressions her parents had on their faces. Before she could ask what was wrong, her father suddenly asked in a serious tone.

"Daughter, do you know where babies come from?"

* * *

Akimichi Chouji was walking along, minding his own business (which consisted of a gallon of deluxe vanilla ice cream and a bag of homemade brownies), when a sudden burst of wind knocked him down to the ground. Trapped in the land of slow motion, he watched as his precious ice cream was sent flying to the dirt along with the scrumptious, finger-licking brownies. Chouji's cries of anguish went unanswered as his brain registered the spoiled lump in front of his face. 

"Nooo!" Chouji screamed, clutching his head with both hands, a defeated boy. It was a deluxe vanilla, for Hokage's sake! He sobbed, thinking how unfair the world was. _A man should not go hungry! He should not be denied a deluxe vanilla! How is this possible?_

He recognized the chakra burst that had accompanied that disastrous wind. It was undeniably Hyuuga Neji's. The fact that the prodigy rookie didn't bother to hide his signature was lost to Chouji. Since they had teamed up to recover Sasuke from the Sound-nin and got wounded pretty badly in the process, there had been a sort of polite acknowledgement between them. A nod or two, and sometimes small talks. Chouji and Neji weren't friends, not yet, and maybe would never be, but at least there was mutual respect between them.

Today the Hyuuga had unknowingly stepped over the line.

Chouji was pissed. He was usually mild-tempered and forgiving except when it came to food (and his often misunderstood bone size. He was not fat, just big boned, dammit!). The sight of his wasted brunch boiled his blood. He'd have a 'talk' with Hyuuga Neji soon.

_Very_ soon.

* * *

The main entrance to Konoha Shinbun office building was forced open by a very angry fourteen-year-old. The middle-aged receptionist behind the desk was so startled he let out a whimper when the boy with blazing silver eyes approached him. 

"Excuse me," the boy snarled, "where can I find the editor of this paper?"

The receptionist, torn between fleeing and doing his job, let out another series of whimpering that sounded suspiciously like, "Second floor, third door to the right."

Neji growled his thanks before disappearing from the receptionist's sight in a flash. The poor man finally had the courage to breathe again. _Nasty little kids these days, _he thought bitterly_, almost killed me there. _Oh well, at least he'd have something to tell his buddies down at the pub. Imagine, visited and threatened by the very boy whose lovey dovey image now occupied the front page!

Upstairs, that 'nasty little kid' was wreaking havoc.

* * *

What could be worse than breakfast combined with the talk of bees and honey with your parents? 

Let's see.

Number one, the whole village knew about your supposedly private love life. Wait, scratch that. They had _always_ known, anyway, thanks to your loud, adoring proclamations in the past for a certain lost Genin.

Number two, you met strangers in the street who patted your head and congratulated you on a good choice of husband. When you go, "Huh?" they thought you were just shy. How cute.

Number three, there was a scandalous picture of you in the local newspaper front page. In that picture you looked like you were locked in a passionate kiss with one gorgeous, _shirtless_ young man.

Sakura sighed. She really should be horrified by the negative responses that suggestive picture ('embodiment of lewdness', her mother dubbed) might raise, but instead she found herself thinking and regretting the worst possible thing.

Number four. The passionate kiss had never happened.

* * *

Aburame Shino was in heaven that day. He woke up to find his whole household huddled together in the living room, staring at the front page of Konoha Shinbun. When he had curtly greeted them, his parents, along with various relatives, could only gawk at him. Silently Shino picked up the newspaper, curious how the picture turned out. Behind the sunglasses, his eyes widened. He blinked hard, twice. 

It was better than he'd thought it would be. Satisfied, he read the printed article he had written the day before, line by line.

* * *

_**Summer of Love in Konoha!**_

_By **A**rdent **S**hinobi_

_Who says that love belongs only to spring or autumn? Whoever he is, he must have gone through this summer with both eyes closed. The fall of cherry blossom petals cannot possibly match the beautiful fall one Haruno Sakura experienced, nor the fall of gold-touched leaves can do justice to the one Hyuuga Neji succumbed to. Yes, both have apparently taken the heat of summer to a different level, folks. While the rest of Leaf dried and almost withered in the blistering temperature yesterday, a little flower bud called love blossomed between them. _

_Hyuuga and Haruno were seen in each other's company beneath the comforting shade of one big tree near the Hokage's office. Apparently the apprentice of the Hokage herself could not resist the temptation that was Hyuuga prodigy. Bare-chested (was it from the heating temperature or something else?) save for his training bandages, the infamously impassive Hyuuga Neji was seen smiling and laughing along with his ladylove._

_However, the demonstrative display you see above is only the tip of an iceberg. Hyuuga Neji is in Jounin Maito Gai's Genin team. One of his teammates, the skilled taijutsu specialist Rock Lee, has been known to be relentless in a pursuit for the affection of one certain girl. Yes, you guess it right, dear readers. She is none other than Haruno Sakura._

_A love triangle, you say? Judging from the leaning angle, I could hardly see any space for the third corner._

_And they say it's all fair in love and war._

_**A. S.**_

_

* * *

_

To be continued

* * *

Is the mike on? Testing, 1, 2, 3.

(1). BullyKilla, Ranier, and neonate apologize for the delay in this installment. The first two have schools and Ranier has his weekly manicure. Can't beta with rough fingernails, apparently.

(2). Who gets Shino's joke on the last line of his article? (Ooh, I do! Pick me!)

(3). Fanart! We have fanart! Check the profile page for link.

(4). This chapter was written mainly while listening to Sade's _Smooth Operator_. In loops.

(5). "Where's Neji and Sakura?! I wanna see them interact!"

Chapter four. Boy-scout promise. This chapter is dedicated to **A**rdent **S**hinobi, our gossip guru: "Rumor is a glorified Truth."

(6). Wendell the bumblebee is nicely recovering. Thank you for asking.


	4. Chouji Eats

**Seeking Comfort**

Joint project of BullyKilla and neonate  
Rating: PG-13  
Characters: Neji, Sakura, Shino, Chouji  
Summary: This summer in Konoha… Neji jokes, Sakura flirts, Shino gossips, and Chouji eats.

**Disclaimer**: Alas! We are denied the copyright of Naruto once again. Truly we do not understand why. He sent the package back along with a warning letter. I think he got some trouble with the Health Department there… Tch, food hazard.

* * *

Akimichi Chouji found his target sitting casually on a branch of a very tall tree, just outside the village. He had been looking for the Hyuuga prodigy since the little incident that morning. It was hours ago and fortunately for Neji, the Akimichi boy had had lunch. 

"Neji!" Chouji hollered to the older boy.

The prodigy cast his eyes downward to eye the chubby Genin and let out a wary sigh, "Yes?"

"We need to talk about what happened this morning!" Chouji cried. He didn't understand why Neji felt the need to be way up there. "Come down!"

"If this is about that photo, I swear…." Neji growled. Honestly, he'd had _enough_. Neji thought he could do without random strangers snapping their camera at him or snickering behind his back. To make it worse, his Uncle Hiashi had been livid when he had seen the paper. Neji had never thought that a human could make such a noise, but apparently he was proven wrong. His ears were still ringing until now.

"What photo? You knocked my ice cream to the ground, Hyuuga!"

Neji blinked. "Pardon?"

"Deluxe Vanilla, ring a bell?" Chouji persisted.

Neji frowned, he didn't remember anything about vanilla ice cream. _Chouji probably gets the wrong person,_ he thought. Oh, great. Another thing he was to blame for. _What's next? The platinum dye in Uncle's shampoo? Uh, wait…nevermind._

"Are you sure it was me? How did it happen?" Neji asked.

"You and your mad stampede! I recognized your chakra, so don't you dare—"

"Wait, this morning?" Maybe Neji _did_ remember something.

"Yes!"

_Oops._

- - - - - -

The owner of Ichiraku Ramen House had never seen a more unlikely pair patronizing his establishment. He recognized the fat one as Akimichi Chouji, the only person that could beat Uzumaki Naruto at a ramen eating contest. He had thought that it was a good day for business before his sight fell on Chouji's companion. Instantly he recognized who that kid was.

"You! I saw your picture on the newspaper!" the owner said delightedly. He was wrong. It wasn't just a good day, it was a _super_ lucky day! Maybe he could get a signed photograph or something and paste it to the wall.

Neji didn't bother to deign that statement with a reaction. He silently occupied the farthest seat on the counter, trying to distance himself as much as possible from the gaping Ramen Guy. Following his lead, Chouji sat next to him. When Neji suggested that they should talk over lunch, Chouji couldn't agree more (despite the fact that he'd already had lunch, but hey... he was a growing boy). In troubled times, ramen seemed to be the obvious choice of comfort food.

Chouji was ready to order when suddenly Neji interrupted, "It's my treat. I knocked your breakfast to the ground, so I'll buy you lunch."

Right at that moment, Chouji was ready to promote the Hyuuga boy into his best friends list. Neji had no idea how much that little gesture meant to Chouji. Of course, he also had no idea how much it was going to cost him.

Chouji beamed appreciatively and fired his order, "Ossan! Two shrimp, one miso, and one beef ramen, please. Extra large." He knew exactly what he wanted because that was the way of the Akimichi clan. Never hesitate.

"Chouji," Neji whispered in a low voice, "You're planning to eat all of them?"

The question was replied with an enthusiastic nod and Neji felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. He might not survive the day after all.

"Ossan," the gloomy Hyuuga boy finally said, "I'll have a glass of water."

- - - - - -

Haruno Sakura looked forlornly at the two identical boxes she was carrying inside her backpack. Her mother had taken the liberty of preparing lunch bento for two, complete with matching chopsticks. While she was frying the tempura, the elder Haruno sniffled and mumbled, "My daughter is growing up."

Sakura didn't have to ask whom the extra bento set was meant for. The problem was, how was she going to tell her mother if it came back untouched? What if Neji didn't want to have anything to do with her after that photo? Sakura suppressed a sigh. He would surely be angry.

_So much for your love life, isn't it?_ the little voice quipped.

She was thinking of giving the extra bento to Naruto, before remembering that he had gone training with Jiraiya-sama. There was no way that she could eat both of them and wasting food was not her habit. What about Lee?

_Are you suicidal? _the voice asked.

Hardly, though at this point that seemed like a good option. The black lacquered boxes felt heavy on her. She needed to find somebody to share lunch with her. Ino?

_You **are** suicidal_.

Running out of options, Sakura wandered around the streets of Konoha hoping to catch somebody she knew. Finally when she thought her day couldn't be any worse, Sakura spotted one person who probably could help her.

"Shino!" she cried his name happily.

She saw the Aburame boy stiffen visibly before turning his back on her. The next thing she knew he was running away as if she was the plague. Hoping to talk to him, Sakura chased the reticent Genin while still carrying the bento. She wasn't sure, but she thought she had seen something akin to alarm flash across his face.

_No,_ Sakura corrected herself, _not alarm_.

It was hard to tell because his face was hidden by the collar. As far as Shino was concerned, he had no expression whatsoever. However, she did see something there. What was it? He looked as if he was caught doing something that he wasn't supposed to do.

Guilt?

- - - - - -

"So," Chouji waved his wooden chopsticks near Neji's face, "you got scolded by your uncle just because of one stupid picture?"

"Yes," Neji answered. Sipping his ice cold water, he thought that 'scolded' was an understatement. It was probably closer to being yelled at while the whole household listened outside the thin fusuma. The words were still fresh on his mind. _Public display of affection unfitting of a Hyuuga male! Sacrilege! _

"You're really in a fix, but that's not the whole story, isn't it?" Chouji said while slurping two strands of ramen.

"What do you mean?" Neji asked, close to whispering. He had caught the Ichiraku owner bending forward nearer than appropriate and hoping to get a sound portion of the conversation. Neji was sure that he had seen the owner take out his pen and newspaper sometime ago between Chouji's first and third bowl of ramen.

"Sakura."

Neji's grip on the glass tightened. "What about her?"

"She's on your mind."

"Don't believe that article, there's nothi—"

"You said that, but you're still thinking of her. Even as we speak," the Akimichi retorted.

Neji fell silent; there was nothing to be gain from being stubborn when Chouji could read his thoughts clearly. What ever happened to his poker face?

"She's going to hate me," Neji finally said. He didn't know why but her opinion of him suddenly mattered.

"Oh, yeah. Absolutely, then you can kiss and make up."

"What?!"

A chorus of "Wonderful!" filled the shop. Neji turned around only to see the other patrons (since when did the Ichiraku get crowded?) tuning in to their supposedly private conversation. The waitress, Ayame, even clapped happily. In return, only a Hyuuga patented glare that promised slow, painful deaths could make them return to their ramen.

"Neji," Chouji sighed, as if he couldn't believe how dense the Hyuuga prodigy was, "Sakura's a girl. Her mood is bound to change quickly. All you need to do is talk to her when she's happy."

"Really?" Neji couldn't help feeling a bit awed at Chouji's wisdom.

"Yeah. You'll be together again in no time," Chouji answered casually.

"I told you—"

"Listen to my advice. It'll do you good," Chouji muttered in between sipping the remaining soup. "Talk to her."

Neji thought about this for a while before deciding that Chouji was probably right. He would talk to Sakura. Oh, not because of reasons Chouji or other people thought. He didn't like her that way, did he?

Did he?

_Snap out of it, Hyuuga. You'll thank her, apologize for the trouble, and leave. Easy._

But somehow he felt that it wasn't _that_ simple.

Neji sighed, "Chouji, how do you know so much about this?"

The boy in question grinned. "Buy me another bowl and I'll tell you."

- - - - - -

The afternoon found one distressed kunoichi munching a soggy fried tempura under a big tree. She was half done obliterating the food in the first bento and there was still another box to go. Her attempt to catch Shino and share the lunch with him had failed miserably and after that she was just too tired to go and search for another familiar face. If she gained another pound because of this, she knew who to blame. Funny though, why did Shino run?

Sakura pondered this for a while. She was now pretty sure that it _was_ guilt she saw on his face.

She sighed and reached for the newspaper she had been carrying. Sakura was certain that before this whole photo fiasco Shino had not acted that strangely. Was he told not to talk to her ever again because she was a bad influence? Probably, but he didn't have to look so panicky, did he?

"Summer of Love in Konoha by Ardent Shinobi," she read out loud, bored. "That's a nice name, Ardent Shinobi…."

_Wait, shinobi? This person is a shinobi? That would explain why I didn't realize his presence yesterday. Of course, my attention was completely focused on Neji. He was sick after all._

She squinted at the article, re-reading it for the tenth time that day, and got nothing except a swirling headache. Her love life was practically in shambles thanks to this article (_Love life? What love life? Girl, you barely know this Hyuuga boy!_). Furthermore, Shino's behavior confused her to no end. In short, Sakura was _not_ happy.

"Argh! Damn you Ardent Shinobi! Damn you Shino! Both of you can go to-"

_Wait, Shino? Shino-bi? _

_Shino-BEE?!_

Sakura's eyes were now wide open and she stopped munching altogether. Her headache gone.

_No, no. I have to be sure. Shinobi's a common term. But his initials, A. S… _

… **A**burame **S**hino?!

With a crack, the chopsticks she was holding broke into two. Sakura had never wanted to taste blood as bad as she did then. Oh, if she were right, Aburame Shino would have a LOT to explain.

When finally Sakura had calmed down (a pair of broken chopsticks and one torn newspaper later), she felt like crying. So she did. First, it was just a sniffle or two. Soon it grew into sobs and fat droplets of tears fell freely from her eyes. Sakura made no move of wiping them off.

"A ninja should not cry, you know," said a voice startling her. Sakura turned around abruptly to find the Hyuuga prodigy leaning against the tree trunk. She had been so flustered she could not sense his close presence.

"Neji," she said with disbelief.

"What happened?"

"No-nothing," she lied, hiding her wet face from his gaze.

"Is it about the photo?"

She shrugged, not answering. An awkward silence befell them before Neji's traitorous stomach unexpectedly let out a growl. Sakura blinked, Neji blushed. A giggle escaped her and he tried his best to silence the grumblings.

"Have you had lunch?" she finally asked, secretly relieved. The other bento might've gone to the right person after all. Before he said anything, Sakura had unpacked the lunch box. While removing the chopsticks from the pouch, she said, "I have an extra bento I cannot finish," and held the box to him, "if you want it."

He paused for a moment before accepting the proffered bento. "Thank you."

"No problem, my mom made too much and I hate to see wasted food."

He nodded at the explanation and started attacking his lunch. Sakura was glad to see his healthy appetite. One would easily assume that Neji eat with the same cold, indifferent disposition he showed when doing everything else. It was amusing to see this rare eagerness from him, but at the rate he was gulping the food down he would have choked soon. Without being asked she handed him a thermos of cold water, which was acknowledged gratefully.

"Slow down," she chided good-naturedly.

"Can't, I'm on a roll," he answered, flashing the rolled egg he had trapped between the chopsticks.

"Oh! You're such a silly clown," Sakura said with a smile.

"I prefer being called clever and dangerous," he replied and bit the egg.

She snorted, "Dangerous for my mental health, maybe."

"I didn't know I have that kind of effect on you," he smirked.

"There's nobody else with that kind of toxic personality, Hyuuga," she quickly retorted.

"See? I'm unique that way."

"And it's a good thing there's only one you," she shuddered, "the world doesn't need two Hyuuga comedians."

"Correction, two _delightful_ Hyuuga comedians. I'm sure we'll be a great team," he said, ignoring the look of horror on Sakura's face, and planted a succulent bit of unagi into his mouth.

"You know what scares me the most?" she finally asked.

"No, despite my absolutely phenomenal abilities, I don't read minds. What?"

"That I don't know whether you were joking or not when you said that," Sakura grimly told him.

"Why can't you tell?"

"Because you're supposed to be serious all the time," she answered.

"Is that how you see me?"

"Well, unless the heatstroke has a permanent effect, I can't imagine Hyuuga Neji as a jester."

"Then you don't know me well enough, Haruno," he sighed.

"You're right, I don't," Sakura said, drawing her knees together, and added, "but I want to."

Neji stopped eating. "Do you?"

"I guess."

"Then you're not angry with me?"

"What for?" she asked, bewildered.

"The picture, the article, and all this mess," he began. When he saw her shrugging he persisted, "I saw you _cry_, kunoichi. Don't tell me you're not affected by them."

Sakura thought for a while and shook her head.

"It's not your fault, Neji. Besides, I gave you lunch, didn't I?"

At that he had no reply and he blurted the first thing that came to his mind, "Are your parents angry?"

"Oh, no. They have some questions for me, but other than that they're pretty okay with everything." She couldn't tell him that her father and mother had subjected her to a two-hour talk of flower and bees straight from hell.

Neji was relieved. "That's good." His thought went back to his uncle whose angry eyes were filled with such disappointment. _If only Uncle Hiashi can be as laid back as Sakura's parents are. _But her next statement caught him off guard.

"Of course, Mom won't stop pestering me about bringing my boyfriend over."

"Bring who?!" Neji was not prepared for that.

She buried her flaming face in her hands and mumbled in a little voice, "They assumed that you're my… you know, and I couldn't say anything. Mom would kill me if she found out otherwise."

"Why would she kill you for that?"

"For Hokage's sake, Hyuuga. Have you seen the picture? Don't you know what people think when they see it?" Sakura said, exasperated.

"Ah," he said when the understanding finally dawned on him. "I see. Er, your mom—"

"—will gladly flay me alive if she thinks that I've been too friendly with a boy who isn't my boyfriend."

"Right, but—"

"—and my father will happily hunt that boy down and use him to wipe the ground," she finished.

Neji gulped. The prospect of having an older, stronger man using him as a rag was not very appealing at the moment. Still…

"Why don't you tell your parents that we're not actually, uh, dating, and you're just helping me—"

Before he could say anything further, Sakura cut him, "What? Do you want to explain to everyone why you were shirtless in the first place?"

"That is—"

"You fainted, Hyuuga. I had to remove your shirt to cool you down, remember?"

"A Hyuuga doesn't faint!" he cried indignantly. Neji suddenly realized where the conversation was going. If anyone, especially his uncle, knew that he passed out because of a stupid heatstroke, he would never be able to show his face in Konoha again. The shame!

As if she knew what he was thinking, Sakura spoke softly, "Now you see why I cannot tell my parents the whole truth. I'm sorry that it turns out this way, Neji."

He didn't answer; his mind was focused solely on one fact. _Sakura didn't tell anyone that I fainted, not even her parents. She was protecting me._

"I understand," she continued, "if you don't want to talk to me again. I …."

Neji was still not replying because he was thinking. Hard.

Sakura took his silence as a sign that he was, indeed, furious. "I … I'll be going then. Thanks for finishing the lunch." She had expected him to be angry, but it still hurt. He might've been a good friend, or possibly something more, if it weren't for this unpleasant incident. _Too late for that_, Sakura thought.

She took the empty bento and chopsticks from his side and began packing. Neji noticed that her hands were trembling and she was avoiding his gaze. Sakura wanted no more than to just leave quickly before the tears fell down again.

_Idiot, there's nothing to cry over,_ her little voice said.

She stood up and slung over her burden on one shoulder. Her back still facing him, she said, "Goodbye, Neji."

He gritted his teeth. He had decided. There was no way in hell that he would let a girl protect his good name without him doing anything. The least he could do was to go along with her cover story

_Is that the only reason, Hyuuga? Are you sure there's nothing more?_

He shook his head to silence that teasing voice. When Hyuuga Neji had made a decision, there was nothing in the world that could change his mind. He rose to his feet and snatched her backpack. Sakura let out a yelp of surprise before she realized that it was him.

Neji held out his hand to her. "Come on, Haruno. It's getting dark."

He was right; the sky had already been adorned in red and violet hues, and the sun had set over the horizon.

"Neji?" Her voice was filled questions.

"I'm not giving your parents a reason to murder me. I'll take you home before it's late," he said, still extending his hand.

"Why?"

"Because it's what they do, isn't it?"

"Who? I don't understand." She shook her head.

He heaved a sigh. "That boyfriend and girlfriend thing. I thought we can go along with your story for a while."

"You mean—"

He grabbed her hand and pulled her along. "Hurry, I don't want to end up a dishrag in your kitchen."

"But-but, are you_ sure_? You were angry before." She stumbled trying to catch up with him.

"No, I wasn't. I was thinking. After all, it won't be good for me if the village finds out what really happened," he said calmly.

"Then what?" she asked.

He smirked. "Until I decide to dump you, Haruno, we'll pretend that we're dating."

At that she huffed crossly. "Wrong, Hyuuga. Until _I _decide to dump _you_."

"Based on what? I'm the perfect boyfriend material."

"Ooh, you're not! You don't even know my first name!" she stated.

He stopped on his tracks. "Says who? I do."

She glared at him and scoffed, "Then call me by my first name, Neji."

"Big Forehead."

Sakura gaped at him for a second before throwing herself at the grinning boy. Her swung fist was caught by his larger hand, and with a graceful ease she was pulledto him. She immediately blushed at the contact of their bodies.

"Tsk, you still need a lot of practice, kunoichi, before you can take me one-on-one," he reproached.

"There you go again," she muttered under her breath, "clown wannabe."

"Is that how you talk to your boyfriend?"

"Is that how you call your girlfriend?"

"You got me there," Neji smiled genuinely for the first time that day, "Sakura."

Hearing her name coming out from his lips, Sakura felt a wave of warm feelings that rush to her cheeks. In return she gave him a beaming smile which sent his heart tap-dancing. Gently he laced his fingers with hers and they began walking in amiable silence. Her hand felt right enclosed in his calloused palm, Neji couldn't help thinking. He might get used to it, even if it was just pretending.

Then he remembered something _very_ important.

"Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"You do realize that Lee's gonna kill me for this, don't you?"

* * *

_Fin_

* * *

  
Esteemed ladies and gentlemen,

(1). Happy New Year 2005! However, with this joyous occasion we also like to extend our heartfelt condolences for those who are affected, in many ways, by the Tsunami disaster in South Asia. Be strong. Our thoughts are with you.

(2). Dear readers,  
Are you curious about Rock Lee and others' reaction? Are you asking yourself why Sakura is not telling Neji about Shino? Are you thinking that a kiss should happen?

Do you wish for **a sequel** to this story? Let us know your answer.

(3). Survey time! Which one do you prefer?  
a. Short chapters ( less than 1500 words).  
b. Medium-length chapters (1500-2500 words).  
c. Long chapters ( more than 2500 words).

(4). Random-Japanese-words-we-threw-in-to-make-us-look-cool**:  
**-Ossan -- old man  
-Fusuma -- sliding doors that separate rooms and hallways.  
-Unagi -- eel meat.

(5). Feedback, concrits, and comments are always appreciated. You know that.

(6). At last but not least, as this part comes to an end, BullyKilla, Ranier, and neonate thank all of the readers and reviewers who have been the source of endless inspiration and encouragement. We've subjected you all to our crack humor and you've been more than gracious. Thank you.


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